Railway traffic controlling apparatus



May 2, 1939, R, A, McCANN 2,156,674

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1938 l i i l I l 18 5 20 22 5 121: '21 P I I I a B7 I C 2 3T 1% 5 KB L 3 Detector BT /52 and rouze 56', 29 [ac/ting 8 BIL-ed Q1 cl'rcuz'iy: H 25' INVENTOR [Bonald Cann.

[,S ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1939 STA UNITE ATENT RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,131

6 Claims.

My invention relates to power operated railway traflic controlling apparatus of the type involving a railway switch controlled by a manually operable lever, and has for an object the provision of novel and improved apparatus for indicating at the manually operable lever the position of the switch.

One feature of my invention isthe provision of means to indicate the position of the switch while the lever is in a normal or a reverse position, in addition to indicating the position of the switch while the lever is in a normal indi cation or a reverse indication position. Other features and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification progresses.

My invention relates to improvements in railway traffic controlling apparatus of the type described and claimed in an application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 200,464 filed April 6, 1938 by Charles W. Bell.

I shall describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall'then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of a preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character S designates a railway switch of the usual and well-known form. Switch S is operatively goconnected with a switch mechanism SM, which may, for example, be of the electropneumatic type. Switch mechanism SM is provided with a normal valve magnet NV, a reverse valve magnet RV and a lock valve magnet LV, it being understood that switch S will be moved to a normal position when valve magnet NV is energized, and to a reverse position when valve magnet RV is energized, provided that in each instance valve magnet LV is also energized. A pole changer P is operatively connected with switch mechanism SM, and so arranged that in the normal position,

that is, the position shown in the drawing, contacts [-2 and 3-4 are closed, whereas in the reverse position, that is, the position the reverse of that shown in the drawing, contacts 2-5 and 3-6 are closed.

Switch mechanism SM is controlled by a manually operable lever E, such as, for example, a switch lever of an interlocking machine. Lever E is adapted to assume various positions, as illustrated by the diagram shown immediately above the lever E. These positions are full normal position N, normal indication position B, reverse indication position D, full reverse position R, and

, two intermediate positions X and Y. Lever E is provided with a plurality of contacts designated by the reference characters '1 to l3, so arranged as to be closed at different positions of lever E. The positions in which the contacts are close-d are shown in the drawing by the reference 5 characters designating the position of lever E. For instance, contact it of lever E bears the reference character RD, which means that contact I3 is closed when the lever is in its full reverse position R, its reverse indication position 10 D, or any position between the two.

Lever E is provided with a handle it having a latch to which the latch operated contact I5 is connected. Latch contact [5 is biased to an open position, but is so arranged as to close when the 15 latch is actuated in preparation for moving the lever E. Lever E is also provided with a normal lever lock NL and a reverse lever lock RL. Normal lever lock NL comprises a magnet It which actuates a locking dog ll. Locking dog I! en- 20 gages a projection IS on segment l9 which is connected with lever E to prevent a movement of lever E from the normal position N unless magnet 16 is energized. This arrangement also prevents, unless magnet i6 is energized, lever E 2 from being moved past its normal indication position B when the lever is moved toward its normal position N. Similarly, the reverse lever lock BL is provided with a magnet 20 which actuates a locking dog 2|. Locking dog 2i engages a pro- 30 jection 22 on segment 23 which is connected with lever E to prevent lever E from being moved from its reverse position R, unless magnet 29 is energized. The arrangement also prevents, unless magnet 20 is energize-d, lever E from being moved past its reverse indication position D when the lever is moved towards its reverse position R. The lever locks NL and BL are controlled in part by a polarized indication relay KR.

A switch locking relay SR is energized when 40 lever E is in a position ranging from its normal position N to the intermediate position X by virtue of a circuit including contact 9 of lever E and all the detector and route locking circuits which protect the switch S. As the specific type 45 of these circuits form no part of my present invention, they are indicated on the drawing conventionally. Relay SR is also energized when lever E is in a position ranging from reverse position R-to the intermediate position Y by virtue 50 of a circuit including contact [0 of lever E and all the detector and route locking circuits which protect the switch S.

With the apparatus in its normal condition, that is, the condition illustrated in the drawing,

relay SR is energized over its circuit which in-. cludes contact 9 of lever E and the contact of the detector and route locking circuits. Relay KR is supplied with current of normal polarity by virtue of a circuit passing from one terminal RT of a source of current, such as a battery not shown, through contact l2 of pole changer P, winding of relay KR and contact 3-4 of pole changer P to the other terminal CT of the current source, and relay KR. is energized, closing its front contact 29 and operating its polar contact members 24 and 25 to the left-hand position, as viewed in the drawing, to make contact with normal polar contacts 25 and 21, respectively. Contact I of lever E is closed, completing a simple circuit for valve magnet NV which includes contact I of lever E and the win-ding of valve magnet NV so that the valve magnet NV is energized and switch S is in its normal position.

When the operator desires to move switch S to its reverse position, latch contact l5 on handle M of lever E is first closed. This completes a circuit passing from terminal BT through front contact 28 of relay SR, front contact 25 of relay KR, contact l2 of lever E, normal polar contact 24-26 of relay KR, winding of magnet [6 of lever lock NL and contact l5 to terminal CT. Magnet [6 becomes energized and lifts locking dog I! out of engagement with projection l8 of segment Hi. This releases segment [9 and permits the operator to move lever E toward its reverse position R. It is to be noted that magnet l6 of lever lock NL will be energized only if relay KR is in its normal position and relay SR is picked up. Therefore, when magnet I6 becomes energized to release lever E, the operator is assured that relay KR is in its normal position, checking the normal position of the mechanism SM and switch S; and that the switch locking relay SR is picked up, checking the detector and route locking circuits associated with the switch.

When the lever E moves past the intermediate position X, the circuit for relay SR is opened at contact 9 of lever E. Relay SR then becomes deenergized to open front contact 28 and open the previously traced circuit for magnet I6 of lever lock NL. Magnet l6 of lever lock NL then becomes deenergized and releases locking dog 11.

The movement of lever E towardsits reverse position R is stopped by virtue of lever lock RL, as previously explained, when lever E reaches its reverse indication position D. At that position,

however, a simple circuit for. valve magnet RV i which includes contact 8 of lever E and the winding of valve magnet RV is completed, and valve magnet RV becomes energized. Valve magnet LV is likewise energized by virtue of a circuit passing from terminal BT through contact I l of lever E, back contact 39 of relay SR, front contact 29 of relay KR, contact [3 of lever E, normal polar contact 252T of relay KR, and winding of valve magnet LV to terminal CT. With valve magnets RV and LV energized, switch mechanism SM is actuated to move the switch to its reverse position. Switch mechanism SM in operating actuates pole changer P to a midposition to open the normal contacts i-2 and 3-4, which opens the energizing circuit for relay KR previously traced. Relay KR becomes deenergized, closing back contacts 3| and 32; and opening front contact 29 to open the energizing circuit just traced for valve magnet LV. Lock valve magnet LV is retained energized, however, by virtue of another circuit passing from terminal B'I through contact I l of lever E, back contact 30 of relay SR, back contact 3| of relay KR and the winding of valve magnet LV to terminal CT. Back contact 32 of relay KR completes a simple circuit easily traced for an indicating light I, and indicating light I becomes lighted.

When the switch mechanism SM and switch S reach full reverse position, pole changer P is shifted to its full reverse position, and relay KR becomes energized by virtue of a circuit passing from terminal BT through contact Ei3 of pole changer P, Winding of relay KR and contact 25 of pole changer P to terminal CT. Relay KR is now supplied with current of the reversepolarity, and becomes energized to open back contacts 31 and 32, to close front contact 29, and to shift its polar contact members 24 and 25 to the righthand position. Polar contact member 24 now engages reverse polar contact 33, and polar contact member 25 now engages reverse polar contact 34.

The last traced energizing circuit for valve magnet LV is opened at back contact 3| of relay KR, so that the valve magnet LV becomes deenergized to cut off the supply of air to the switch mechanism. The circuit for indicating light I is also opened at back contact 32 of relay KR, and indicating light I becomes dark. Magnet 20 of reverse lever lock RL is now energized by virtue of a circuit passing from terminal BT through contact 1 l of lever E, back contact 36 of relay SR, front contact 29 of relay KR, contact I3 of lever E, reverse polar contact 25-34 of relay KR, winding of magnet 26 of lever lock RL and contact [5 to terminal CT. The energization of magnet 26 lifts locking dog 21 out of engagement with projection 22 of segment 23, so that lever E is released and may be moved to its full reverse position R.

It is to be noted that magnet 26 of lever lock RL, the circuit of which includes lever contact l3, will not become energized unless relay KR is energized by current of reverse polarity, and therefore the energization of magnet 28 of lever lock RL and the consequent release of lever E indicates that relay KR is in agreement as to position with lever E, checking the reverse position of the mechanism SM and switch S.

When lever E is moved past the intermediate position Y, relay SR becomes energized by virtue of its circuit including contact it of lever E and the detector and route locking circuit. Relay SR opens back contact 30 to open the energizing circuit for magnet 26 of lever lock RL previously traced, but magnet 28 of lever lock RL remains energized by virtue of another circuit passing from terminal BT through front contact 28 of relay SR, front contact 29 of relay KR, contact l3 of lever E, reverse polar contact 253 lof relay KR, winding of magnet 28 of lever lock RL and It is to be noted that when the switch lever is in its full normal or reverse position, and relay SR is released by virtue of its detector and route locking circuits, the latch contact on lever E cannot control the lever locks,and lever E is locked into position. Thus, relay SR acts as a lock for switch mechanism SMand switch S.

It should further be noted "that an emergency I release is provided for lever locks NL andRL, so

that in case the detector or route locking circuits cause the release of relay SR, in an emergency the lever locks NL and RL can still be released and the lever E moved to control the switch mechanism. The emergency circuit for lever lock NL passes from terminal BT through contact 35-36 of the emergency release, front contact 29 of relay KR, contact l2 of lever E, normal polar contact 2426 of relay KR,Winding of magnet N5 of lever lock NL and contact IE to terminal CT. Similarly, the emergency circuit forlever lock RL passes from terminal BT through contact 35-36 of the emergency release, front contact 29 of relay KR, lever contact 13 of lever E, reverse polar contact 25-34 of relay KR, winding of magnet 20 of lever lock RL and contact l5 to terminal CT.

Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that the operation of the apparatus when the lever is moved from reverse position R to normal position N is similar to that just described for a movement from normal position N to reverse position R.

One advantage of apparatus embodying my invention is the provision of means to indicate that ,the switch lever is in agreement as to position with the remainder of the apparatus, and to prevent the movement of the lever unless its position agrees with the position of the switch as indicated by a polarized relay. Also, the position of the switch is indicated in the normal and reverse positions as well as in the indication positions of the lever by means of apparatus ordinarily employed to indicate the position of the switch in the indication positions only of the lever.

' Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch operated to its normal and reverse positions by a mechanism; a lever having a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position and provided with' contacts closed in different positions of the lever; a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said relay governed by traffic conditions at the switch and including a normal lever contact or a reverse lever contact, control circuit means for controlling said mechanism including a back contact of said relay, lever looking means effective when deenergized to prevent the movement of said lever to and from its normal or its reverse positions, indication circuit means for energizing said lever locking means including a back contact of said relay together with a normal indication lever contact or a reverse indication lever contact, and other circuit means for energizing said lever locking means including a front contact of said relay together with a normal lever contact and a reverse lever contact.

2. In combination, a railway switch operated by a mechanism to its normal and reverse positions; a lever provided with a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position, and having a plurality of contacts closed at difierent positions of said lever; a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said relay controlled by trafiic conditions at the switch and including a normal lever contact or a reverse lever contact, control circuit means governed by normal indication or reverse indication lever contacts for controlling said mechanism, a back contact of said switch locking relay interposed in said control circuit means, a normal lever lock operative when deenergized to lock the lever in its normal position, a reverse lever lock operative when deenergized to lock the lever in its reverse position, an energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a normal lever contact and a front contact of said relay, and an energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a reverse lever contact and a front contact of said relay.

3. In combination, a railway switch operated to its normal and reverse positions by a mechanism; a lever having a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse postition and provided with contacts; a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said relay governed by traffic conditions at the switch and including a lever contact closed in the normal position or a lever contact closed in the reverse position of the lever, circuit means for controlling said mechanism including a back contact of said relay together Witha lever contact closed in the normalindication or the reverse indication position of said lever, a normal lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent the lever from being moved to and from its normal position, a first energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact of said relay and a lever contact closed in the normal position of said lever, a second energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a back contact of said relay and a lever contact closed in the normal indication position of said lever, a reverse lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent the movement of the lever to and from its reverse position, a first energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact of said relay and a lever contact closed in the reverse position of said lever, and a second energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a lever contact closed in the reverse indication position of said lever and a back contact of said relay.

4. In combination, a railway switch operated to its normal and reverse positions by a mechanism; a lever having a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position and provided with contacts closed at different positions of the lever; a polarized relay, means for supplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said switch is in its normal or reverse position, a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said switch locking relay governed by traflic conditions at the switch and including a normal lever contact or a reverse lever contact, circuit means for controlling said mechanism including a back contact of said switch locking relay together with a normal indication or a reverse indication lever contact, a normal lever lock effective when deenergized to lock the lever in its normal position, a reverse lever lock effective when deenergized to lock the lever in its reverse position; an energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay and a normal lever contact, and an energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact and a reverse polar contact of said polarized relay and a reverse lever contact.

5. In combination, a railway switch operated to its normal and reverse positions by a mechanism; a lever having a normal, a normal'indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position and provided with contacts closed in the different positions; a polarized relay,,means for supplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said switch is in its normal or reverse position, a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said switch locking relay governed by traific conditions at the switch and including in parallel a normal lever contact and a reverse lever contact, a normal lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent the movement of the lever to and from its normal position; a first energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay, a front contact of said switch locking relay, and a normal lever contact; a second energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay, a back contact of said switch looking relay, and a normal indication lever con-- tact; a reverse lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent said lever from being moved to and from its reverse positions; a first energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact and a reverse polar contact of said polarized relay, a front contact of said switch locking relay, and a reverse lever contact; and a second circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact and a reverse polar contact of said polarized relay, a back contact of said switch locking relay, and a reverse lever contact.

6. In combination, a railway switch operated to its normal and reverse positions by a mechanism; a lever having a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position and provided with contacts closed in the diiferent positions; a polarized relay, means for supplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said switch is in its normal or reverse position, a switch locking relay, circuit means for energizing said switch locking relay governed by traflic conditions at the switch and including in parallel a normal lever contact and a reverse lever contact, a normal lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent the movement of the lever to and from its normal position; a first energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay, a front contact of said switch locking relay, and a normal lever contact; a second energizing circuit for said normal lever lock including a front contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay, a back contact of said switch locking relay, and a normal indication lever contact; a reverse lever lock effective when deenergized to prevent said lever from being moved to and from its reverse positions; a first energizing circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact and a reverse polar contact of said polarized relay, a front contact of said switch locking relay, and a reverse lever contact; a second circuit for said reverse lever lock including a front contact and a reverse polar contact of said polarized relay, a back contact of said switch locking relay, and a reverse lever contact; and a lever contact closed at the normal indication and the reverse indication positions common to both of said second circuits.

RONALD A. McCANN. 

